Communication – TWihttps://www.technicallywriteit.com Outsourced Technical WritingTue, 14 May 2019 09:48:48 +0000en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.4.1Accidence Happen: Review of a Non-Pedantic Guide to Language Changehttps://www.technicallywriteit.com/language-change-book-review/ https://www.technicallywriteit.com/language-change-book-review/#commentsThu, 20 Oct 2016 15:01:56 +0000http://www.technicallywriteit.com/?p=2360Oliver Kamm’s Accidence Will Happen: The Non-Pedantic Guide to English explores language change, the ways in which language is used today, and how experts discuss conventions and usage. According to Kamm, experts can be divided into two camps: Linguists (who are interested in the history of the language) Pedants or sticklers (who are only interested […]

]]>Oliver Kamm’s Accidence Will Happen: The Non-Pedantic Guide to English explores language change, the ways in which language is used today, and how experts discuss conventions and usage. According to Kamm, experts can be divided into two camps:

Linguists (who are interested in the history of the language)

Pedants or sticklers (who are only interested in correcting other peoples’ grammar and prescribing rules)

In this book, Kamm aligns himself with the former camp, arguing against judgemental commentary on what is proper English.

Oliver Kamm, a Reformed Stickler

Journalist Oliver Kamm is a lead writer and columnist for The Times. Like his predecessor, Lynne Truss, author of Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation (2003), Kamm also acted as the paper’s unofficial grammar expert. During his tenure, Kamm wrote an occasional column called ‘The Pedant’ and at one point declared that he was a proud grammar purist. Yet, in Accidence Will Happen, he declares that he is ‘a reformed stickler’. Kamm now realises that language change is inevitable, and that rules cannot always effectively govern language as a means of communication.

The Reformed Stickler

Language Change and Non-Standard English

Kamm’s argument is based on three core premises:

All native English speakers have already mastered the language, even if they don’t think they have

Language change indicates that the English language is alive and well

It is helpful for those who use Standard English to know its conventions as it is needed in certain contexts

He points out that slang and text speak, or non-Standard English, are often confused with incorrect usage. Kamm refutes alarmist claims that changes to the English language, including new forms of slang, signify its deterioration (and the deterioration of society). In a lively discussion, he argues against claims of eminent journalists John Humphreys and Simon Heffer that the English language is ‘going to the dogs’.

Humphreys and Heffer argue that changes to the language are a danger to critical thinking and to civilisation itself. In contrast, Kamm argues that English is a living language and needs to change. Furthermore, he believes that slang and text speak are perfectly acceptable forms of communication as they ‘make us at home in the world’. Indeed, slang actually follows grammatical rules, otherwise it would be incomprehensible to anyone.

In the first half of his study, Kamm presents his argument that pedantry is less about clear expression and more about class division. He argues that it is concerned with expressing who is ‘in’ through the use of, what he calls, ‘linguistic shibboleths’ or outmoded beliefs about language.

Usage Conundrums

In the second half of his book, Kamm lists his own personal gripes with the English language in a section that, paradoxically, resembles a relaxed style guide. However, he prefaces the section by saying that his approach differs from the pedantic approach as he does not prescribe strict rules. Kamm argues that his are not the only forms of legitimate usage in Standard English and that the section represents his personal stylistic preferences. Siding with the linguistic camp, he looks at the history of the language change, including the use of commas, sentence structure, and split infinitives rather than seeking out errors and condemning those who disagree.

Kamm refutes some of the most widely held beliefs and rules that are taught in schools. For example, he argues for the use of ‘ain’t’, ‘alright’, and ‘till’ in Standard English, citing numerous valid uses of each word and arguing that there are no logical grammatical reasons to avoid using them.

In addition, Kamm differentiates between often confused pairs of words and phrases, including ‘different to/different from’, ‘may/might’, and ‘who/whom’. He discusses more general issues including our need for conventions, sentence structure, the split infinitive, and style in general. Rejecting definitive judgements of right and wrong, Kamm contends that language and dialect are simply different depending on where you are in the world or who you are talking to. He likens the notion of regional or cultural linguistic conventions to the variation in types of electrical sockets in different geographical locations.

Accidence Will Happen

The Verdict

Kamm’s often controversial opinions about language and his argument for the importance of slang and modern changes are refreshing amidst the proliferation of rules and the various style guides available to us today. Although style guides are a valuable resource for technical communication, they often cannot cover or keep up with changes to usage in relation to modern communication and technology.

Amusingly, when discussing the ways in which pedants are wrong, Kamm himself veers slightly towards the pedantic, making the ‘non-pedantic’ in his title ironic. Yet, his overall argument is never fully undermined due to the book’s approachable, conversational style that invites the reader to agree with him. The section is presented as an opinion piece, intended to spark debate and critical thought, rather than as a prescriptive style guide.

I personally agree with many of Kamm’s points as several style guides that I have used in my role as a technical writer prescribe outmoded forms of expression and don’t take modern communication and technology into consideration. This is certainly changing as technical communication, particularly online communication, is adopting a more casual, conversational tone. Kamm’s book usefully demonstrates that English is in constant flux and that grammar rules cannot cover every eventuality. Ultimately, I found his overall argument – that what matters is clear communication, rather than a pedantic adherence to grammar rules – highly convincing.

Over to You

Do you think Kamm’s arguments are relevant to technical communicators today? Has language change impacted on your work? Do you think pedantry is necessary for technical communication? If you have some amusing or insightful anecdotes relating to language change, please leave a comment – we’d love to hear from you.

]]>https://www.technicallywriteit.com/language-change-book-review/feed/2Technical Communication, Music, and Productivityhttps://www.technicallywriteit.com/technical-communication-music-productivity/ https://www.technicallywriteit.com/technical-communication-music-productivity/#respondTue, 22 Dec 2015 13:49:52 +0000http://www.technicallywriteit.com/?p=1881At this time of year, it can be extremely difficult to concentrate. You’re sitting at your computer, resplendent in your Christmas jumper, trying to make sense of some source documentation. Your mind begins to wander. You start to think about Christmas presents, you wonder who your Secret Santa is, and that Christmas music is driving […]

]]>At this time of year, it can be extremely difficult to concentrate. You’re sitting at your computer, resplendent in your Christmas jumper, trying to make sense of some source documentation. Your mind begins to wander. You start to think about Christmas presents, you wonder who your Secret Santa is, and that Christmas music is driving you to distraction. To top it all, it’s the end of the year and there’s a deadline looming.

A technical writer needs to be focused at all times and not just at Christmas. After all, we need to produce high-quality, concise, accurate, and precise content that is user-friendly. So, how do we remain focused and productive?

A recent study found that listening to music while working can increase accuracy and speed. It also showed that specific genres of music are suited to different tasks, for example, pop music is great when you’re working to a deadline.

Survey on Music at Work

We wanted to know what our technical writers listen to at work and whether music helped or hindered them in their tasks. We devised a survey to ask our colleagues about their specific music listening patterns, both at work and during their leisure hours. We wanted to know if being at work influenced their music choices. Also, we wanted to see whether there was any correlation between the more generic music and productivity research available and the listening habits of our own writers.

We found that the majority listen to music regularly when they are at work; there were only a handful who didn’t. A few people also listen to radio or podcasts. However, others found that talk-based audio can be very distracting:

I’d either tune out of the entire podcast or tune out of work – no happy medium!

Some of those who don’t listen to music, listen to white noise in the office to drown out background noise.

Listening to music can aid productivity. Photo by Luke Chesser (unsplash.com/@lukechesser).

Music Choice and Task Type

Our writers are a diverse bunch and the type of music they listen to varies extensively. We have rockers and ravers, soul boys and riot grrrls. In fact, you might conclude that Kurt Vonnegut was correct when he said:

Virtually every writer I know would rather be a musician.

Most of those surveyed agreed that the type of music they listened to depended on the task they were working on. One writer described how unobtrusive music enhances the rhythms of working on different types of task:

If I have music on while I work, it’s usually something mellow and easy-going, regardless of the task – something that I can easily tune out as needed. It creates a comfortable cocoon of low-level noise in my workspace, and I can let my attention drift to it and away as I work.

Ambient music must be able to accommodate many levels of listening attention without enforcing one in particular; it must be as ignorable as it is interesting.

Overall, instrumental music was the preferred choice of our writers. This was because many of them found lyrics distracting, especially when doing intellectually demanding tasks such as writing or reading. (Is it actually possible to write when listening to rap music and not want to make everything rhyme?)

Music and Mood

It seems that a lot of our writers also listen to whatever suits their mood. As one respondent said:

The task doesn’t dictate the music I listen to. It is my mood that decides.

This correlates with some recent studies that show a link between music, mood, and productivity. For example, academic research investigating the psychology of music shows that music listening improves a person’s mood (in the short-term at least) and this has a positive effect on the quality of work and productivity.

Whether they are listening to music or not, you can be assured that our writers are immersed in the details of content development. Sure, some of the rockers might be tapping their feet, but they won’t be sitting drumming their fingers on the desk waiting for the day to end.

What are you listening to right now? Photo by Corey Blaz (unsplash.com/@blazphoto).

Tune In

Although your listening habits are a very personal thing, we think most people would find these general tips useful:

Listen to music when it suits you to do so. When it starts to bother you, stop!

Listen to something familiar. New music may take too much of your attention.

Avoid music that has strong emotional significance to you while you are working

Listen to instrumental music. Ambient music can be ideal when you need to concentrate.

Plan what you are going to listen to in advance. There is so much music online – YouTube, Mixcloud, Soundcloud, Spotify, Apple Music – that the actual search for music can be distracting.

If music is not your thing, try some nature sounds or a white noise generator.

We know you’ve read this far out of curiosity about what it is we actually listen to. Since you insist, here’s our ambient playlist to get you started.

Now that we’ve divulged, it’s your turn. Do you listen to music while you work? Do you, like us, stick on your headphones, scroll through your playlists, and find a song that snaps you out of the mind fugue and kick-starts your temporal lobe? We’d love to hear any comments, suggestions, or playlists you might have.

P.S. After the success of my last playlist, I have been asked to compile a fresh one: More Music to Work By. The playlist is a collection of ambient tracks that I have been listening to as I gallop towards deadlines. It is impossible to work in complete silence, but ambient music is the next best thing. I hope you find this playlist helpful and productive. Happy listening.

]]>https://www.technicallywriteit.com/technical-communication-music-productivity/feed/0Remote Control: A Balanced Approach to Working from Homehttps://www.technicallywriteit.com/working-from-home/ https://www.technicallywriteit.com/working-from-home/#respondTue, 30 Jun 2015 15:21:50 +0000http://www.technicallywriteit.com/?p=1017As technical writers, we are lucky to be part of a profession in which working from home is often an option for experienced practitioners. However, some of those who have never tried it may be sceptical or downright hostile to the notion of remote working. Sceptics and Objectors Sympathetic sceptics imagine working from home to […]

]]>As technical writers, we are lucky to be part of a profession in which working from home is often an option for experienced practitioners. However, some of those who have never tried it may be sceptical or downright hostile to the notion of remote working.

Sceptics and Objectors

Sympathetic sceptics imagine working from home to be a lonely and difficult business. Cut off from colleagues and peers, bereft of the resources provided by a big office, how could remote workers be expected to keep up? Surely their work would suffer and recriminations would follow.

Remote working isn’t this bad

On the other hand, resentful objectors think that remote workers are on easy street. They imagine a life of rolling out of bed at the last minute, catching a Columbo marathon, and not bothering to get fully dressed for days on end. They consider working from home to be a paid holiday.

Remote working isn’t this good

Prosaic Reality

If either the dystopian or utopian vision were true, working from home would not be a viable long-term option. Our experience of remote working is much more prosaic, but also more productive and sustainable.

TWi has offered remote working as an option for experienced staff since its foundation. We take a nuanced approach to working from home – it’s not all or nothing. Quite a few of us have an arrangement that involves working partly at home and partly in the office. Factors involved in determining the balance include:

While we have found that remote working entails advantages and disadvantages, our purpose here is not to list those pros and cons. Instead, we focus on how to get the balance right by focusing on two key issues: communication and productivity.

Communication

The conventional wisdom holds that while colleagues are always available by email and instant messaging, and meetings can be conducted online, face-to-face interaction is preferable. In our experience, however, the conventional wisdom doesn’t always hold true. Our writers have found that their work doesn’t suffer from a lack of direct, daily interaction. Indeed, many of those with whom we work – colleagues, project managers, SMEs – are based abroad, so our communications would be conducted electronically whether we were in the office or not.

This is not to say that we are against face-to-face contact: no one working remotely in our company believes that they need never come to HQ. We don’t need to see each other in person to do our jobs, but we do need it to feel that we are part of something and not merely orbiting it at a great distance – Pluto with a laptop. In short, a remote worker who never sees her colleagues can be productive but may not be entirely content.

Visiting the office is a good thing. It’s important to meet people. There’s definitely a psychological barrier if you’ve never met someone face-to-face or spoken to them in a more casual setting. It makes the working relationship easier.

At TWi, our solution is to ensure that everyone pays regular, scheduled visits to our offices in Cork. These visits are about more than project-specific tasks and meetings; they are about making sure that everyone feels part of the team.

Having direct contact with your colleagues helps improve team dynamics. I don’t think working at home means that a team doesn’t have great dynamics, but when you’re working at home you have to make extra effort to create those team dynamics.

Productivity

Let’s turn to productivity. Our remote writers are unanimous about their number one complaint – it drives them to distraction when friends and family assume that the term ‘working from home’ is a euphemism for ‘taking a day off’. This assumption couldn’t be more wrong. All of our remote workers are adamant that they are more productive, not less, when they operate from home.

They offer various reasons for this increased productivity. Not having to commute makes a big difference. A writer who drives for two hours or more to get to work is inevitably going to be less enamoured of life in general than one who skipped into work from the next room.

If I was in the office five days a week the commute would be very difficult over a sustained period. Working from home helps me achieve more in my work. I’m not as tired and it gives me more time with my family when I finish. I find I get more done and feel my day has been more productive.

Then there’s the issue of distractions. Many of our writers feel strongly that there are more distractions in the office than at home. It’s a question of environment control. There is always a certain level of noise in a bustling office and few of us have doors we can close when we’re under pressure. Bear in mind that some tasks, like writing and editing, are better performed in solitude. Others, like brain-storming and information gathering, benefit from face-to-face interaction.

The biggest misconception about remote working is that people aren’t ‘really’ working. Much as I miss the chats with colleagues, with no distractions I just put my head down and actually work!

Caveats

Let’s add just two small caveats regarding the benefits of working from home. The first is that a remote worker is entirely at the mercy of his internet connection. It is frustrating when local IT issues make work impossible and there is no IT support down the hall.

The second caveat concerns ergonomics. Just as the remote worker must be her own IT department, she is also responsible for ensuring a healthy work environment. This is something we need to prioritise but too many of us put it off until we feel that first twinge of neck pain.

Maximising the Benefits of Working from Home

Remote working is an inevitable reality in the contemporary technical communications industry and it is compatible with the nature of the work we do. Under the right conditions, working from home is conducive to enhanced productivity and effective communications. We advocate a balanced approach involving a mixture of working from home and working in the office, and we emphasise the importance of paying attention to team dynamics.

Our advice for maximising the benefits of remote working is as follows:

Set up your home office with the best IT and ergonomic equipment available

Make maximum use of a range of communications tools

Travel to your office site as regularly as is feasible

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